Valve-gear.



J. C.-BIRD.

VALVEVGEAR.

APPLICATlON FILED MAYL'I9I5- 1 1 92,843.- Patented Aug, 1, 1916.

3 SHEETS-SHEET I.

ATTORNEYS J. C. BIRD.

VALVE GEAR.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 1. 1915.

Patented Aug. 1, 1916.

3 SHEEIS-SHEET 3- W/ T/VESSES:

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JOHN C. BIRD, OF BATTLE CREEK, MICHIGAN, ASSIGNOB TO UNION STEAM PUMPCOMPANY, OF BATTLE CREEK, MIGIIIGAN.

VALVE-GEAR.

Application filed May 1, 1915. Serial No. 25,153.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN C. BIRD, a citizen of the United States,residing at Battle Creek, Michigan, have invented certain new and usefulImprovements in Valve-Gears, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to improvements in valve gears.

My improvements are especially designed by me for use and I have shownthe same embodied in a single, direct acting steam pump. .Iyimprovements are, however, desirable and readily adapted for use inother relations.

The main objects of my invention are: First, to provide an improvedvalve gear in which the steam valves are positively operative. Second,to provide an improved valve gear which prevents the parts becoming sopositioned as to cause them to hang up or fail to operate when steam isturned on. Third, to provide an improved valve gear which insures aquick action of the auxiliary piston or main valve actuating piston.Fourth, to provide an improved valve gear having these advantages whichis simple and durable in structure.

Further objects, and objects relating to structural details, willdefinitely appear from the detailed description to follow.

I accomplish the objects of my invention by the devices and meansdescribed in the following specification.

The invention is clearly defined and pointed out in the claims.

A structure which is a preferred embodiment of my invention is clearlyillustrated in the accompanying drawing, forming a part of thisspecification, in which:

Figure I is a perspective view of a single, direct acting steam pumpembodying the features of my invention, the pump cylinder being omitted.Fig. II is a detail view, partially in longitudinal section, on a linecorresponding to line 22 of Fig. IV. Fig. III is a detail horizontalsection on a line corresponding to the broken line 33 of Fig. IV. Fig.IV is a detail vertical transverse section on a line corresponding tothe broken lines l1 of Figs. II and III. Fig. V is a detail transversesection through the valve gear on a line corresponding to line 55 ofFig. II. Fig. VI is a perspective view of the auxiliary valve actuatingSpecification of Letters Patent.

Patented Au. 1, 1%16.

lever. Fig. VII is a detail vertical section on a line corresponding toline 77 of Fig.

V. Fig. VIII is a detail side elevation of a transverse'section on aline corresponding to line 99 of Fig. VIII.

In the drawings, similar reference characters refer to similar partsthroughout the several views, and the sectional views are taken lookingin the direction of the little arrows at the ends of the section lines.

Referring to the drawings, the main cylinder 1 is mounted on a suitablebase or supporting pedestal 2.

3 represents the head of a pump cylinder which is connected to thecylinder 1 by a suitable yoke or frame 4:. The main piston 5 is providedwith a piston rod 6 which extends through the head 3 of the pumpcylinder, the pump piston being commonly mounted thereon.

Above the main cylinder 1 is a valve piston cylinder and valve chamber 7the cylinder having piston bores 8 at each end and a valve chamber 9between. The valve chamber 9 is connected to both ends of the maincylinder 1 by the passages 10. The valve chamber 9 is provided with anexhaust passage 11 located between the passages 10, see Fig. II.

The main valve 12 is of the sliding flat or D type and has a forked arm13 engaging the rod 14 which connects the heads of the valve piston 8,the rod having collars 15 at each side of the arm 13. Thevalve 12 isprovided with ports 16 adapted to be brought into register with thepassages 10. The valve has a central port 17 which is continuouslyconnected with the exhaust port 11 and when in one position connects onepassage lO with the exhaust and when in the other position the otherpassage so that the passages 10 alternately serve as inlet and exhaust,passages for the main cylinder.

The piston valve cylinder is connected at 18 to a suitable steam supplywhich may be controlled manually or by a governor, as desired.

sage 21 delivering into the exhaust passage 11, see Fig. TV. Thisauxiliary valve casing 19 is connected by passages 22 to each end of thevalve piston cylinder. The auxiliary valve 23 is of the sliding type andis provided with a port 24 adapted to alternately connect the passages22 with the exhaust passage 21 of the auxiliary valve, the valve beingarranged so that when one passage 22 is connected to the exhaust theother is connected to the live steam.

Preadmission ports 22, shown by dotted lines in Fig. TH, connect theauxiliary valve chamber with the extreme ends of the valve pistoncylinder so that steam is admitted thereto to start the valve piston andprevent its hanging up at either end of its stroke. When the auxiliaryvalve is in either extreme position, it covers the preadmission port atthat end so that the valve piston is cushioned at the end of its stroke.

The auxiliary valve 23 is provided with a valve stem 25 arranged throughsuitable packing glands 26. The valve piston 8 is provided with a pistonrod 27.

In operation the main cylinder valve piston is controlled by theauxiliary valve and the auxiliary valve is in turn actuated andcontrolled by the main or work piston and the valve piston.

On the yoke 4 is a bracket 28 carrying a spindle 29 on which a member 30is mounted for oscillating movement. This member 30 is connected to therod 27 of the valve piston by the wrist pin 31 so that it is oscillatedby the reciprocationof the valve piston. The auxiliary valve actuatinglever 32 is mounted on the pivot 33 carried by the oscillating member30, the pivot 33 being arranged eccentrically relative to the pivot 29of the member 30. The lower end of the lever 32 is slotted at 34 toengage the pin 35 on the piston rod 6 so that as the piston rodreciprocates the lever 32 is actuated or rocked on its pivot 33. The pin35 is secured to the red by a clamp 36 and the clamp is provided with anarm 37 slotted to en age the slide 38, see Fig. V. This relieves theclamp of undue strain and prevents the parts becoming disarranged.

The lever 32 is provided with a tappet engaging portion 39 adapted tocoact with the tappet blocks 42 on the valve stem 25. These tappetblocks are retained upon the valve stem by means of the nuts 41. Thetappet blocks are shouldered to provide the lever engaging parts 42. Thebracket 28 has an overhanging slide way 43 for the tappet blocks, whilethe lever is provided with a curved bearing support 44 for the tappetmembers concentric with its pivot 33. The pivot 33 is keyed to theoscillating member 30 by means of the pin 45.

"With the parts thus arranged the operation of the device is as follows:The main piston is shown at the end of its instroke and the valve pistonis shown in motion, having moved a short distance from its extreme righthand position. In the position shown, the auxiliary valve is nearly atits thereby shifting the main valve to admit steam to the inner end ofthe main cylinder and to connect the outer end thereof with the exhaust.The movement of the valve piston through the connections describedimparts a further movement to the auxiliary valve. The movement of themain piston has shifted the auxiliary valve through th lever connectiondescribed and the outer end of the valve cylinder is thus connected withthe exhaust ane the inner end with the live steam. This again actuatesthe valve piston and the movement of the valve piston further actuatesthe auxiliary valve. This arrangement of parts insures that theauxiliary valve shall be fully and quickly opened preventing dragging orlagging of movement of the valve piston and main valve controlledthereby and consequently of the main piston. With the parts thusarranged it is quite impossible for the valves and pistons to become sopositioned that the pump will become inoperative or hang up when steamis turned on, that is, for them to become positioned so that theauxiliary valve will be in a central position and cover both passages22.

It is found in practice that the valve piston will occasionally, owingto defective packing for the pistons or other causes, creep and thusbring the parts to a central position. However, by arranging the partsas described, the movement of the valve piston is imparted to theauxiliary valve so that that is shifted fully so that the piston completes its full stroke, this insuring that the parts come to rest insuch position that when steam is again admitted the pump startspromptly.

In the modified structure shown in Figs. VIII and IX, the parts areadapted to structures in which it is necessary for the actuating leverto be arranged on the out side of the connecting frame for the main andpump cylinders. In the embodiment shown the connecting frame consists ofa number of rods 47, only one rod being shown.

The bracket 48 is mounted on the frame rod 47 and provided with abearing 49 for the shaft 50 of the oscillating member 51 Lil which isconnected to the auxiliary piston rod 27. The shaft 50 has an eccentricportion 52 on which the lever &6 is mounted. The operation of the partsis the same as in the structure previously described. The lever isactuated by an arm 53 on the main piston red, the arm being supported bya rod 54: arranged parallel with the piston rod, see Fig. IX.

I have illustrated and described my improved valve gear in the form inwhich I have embodied the same for the market. The structure illustratedis substantially that known on the market as the Burnham pump. 1 havenot attempted to illustrate or describe the structural changes orvariations which might be required or desirable in adapting my improvedvalve gear to other structures, as I believe the disclosure made willenable. those skilled in the art to which my invention relates to embodyor adapt the same as may be desired. I desire, however, to be understoodas claiming my improvements specifically in the form illustrated as wellas broadly within the scope of the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention,what I claim as new and desire tosecure by Letters Patent is:

1. In a valve gear, the combination of a main cylinder, a main pistonprovided with a piston rod, a valve casing and a valve piston cylinderconnected to said main cylinder and provided with an inlet and anexhaust, a valve piston provided with a piston rod, a main valvecontrolling the inlet and exhaust of said main cylinder actuated by saidvalve piston, an auxiliary valve casing connected to said valve pistoncylinder and provided with an inlet and an exhaust, an auxiliary valvecontrolling the inlet and exhaust of said valve piston cylinder, saidauxiliary valve being provided with a valve stem, a pivotally supportedoscillating member connected to said valve piston rod, an auxiliaryvalve actuating lever pivotally mounted on said oscillating membereccentrically of its pivot, operating connections for said main pistonrod and lever, and tappet blocks on said auxiliary valve stem with whichsaid lever coacts whereby the auxiliary valve is given an initialmovement by the main piston and a further movement by said valve piston.

2. In a valve gear, the combination of a main cylinder, a main pistonprovided with a piston rod, a valve casing and a valve piston cylinderconnected to said main cylinder and provided with an inlet and anexhaust, a valve piston provided with a piston rod, a main valvecontrolling the inlet and exhaust of said main cylinder actuated by saidvalve piston, an auxiliary valve casing connected to said valve pistoncylinder and provided with an inlet and an exhaust,

an auxiliary valve controlling the inlet and movement by said valvepiston.

3. In a valve gear, the combination of a main cylinder, a main pistonprovided with a piston rod, a valve piston cylinder, a valve pistonprovided with a piston rod, a main cylinder valve controlled by saidvalve piston, an auxiliary valve for controlling said valve piston, saidauxiliary valve being provided with a valve stem, a supporting bracket,a member pivotally mounted on said bracket for oscillating movement,said member being connected to said valve piston rod to be actuatedthereby, an auxiliary valve actuating lever pivotally mounted on saidmember eccentrically of its pivot, operating connections for said mainpiston rod and lever, and tappet blocks on said auxiliary valve stemcoacting with said lever, said backet being provided with a slidebearing for said blocks, said lever being provided with a curved bearingsupport for said tappet blocks.

a. In a valve gear, the combination of a main cylinder, a main pistonprovided with a piston rod, a valve piston cylinder, a main cylindervalve piston provided with a piston rod, an auxiliary valve forcontrolling said valve piston, said auxiliary valve being provided witha valve stem, a supporting bracket, a member pivotally mounted on saidbracket for oscillating movement, said member being connected to saidvalvepiston rod to be actuated thereby, an auxiliary valve actuatinglever pivotally mounted on said member eccentrically of its pivot,operating connections for said main piston rod and lever, and tappetblocks on said auxiliary valve stem coacting with said lever.

5. In a valve gear, the combination of a main cylinder, a main piston, amain cylindervalve, a valve piston cylinder, a valve piston forcontrolling said main cylinder valve, an auxiliary valve for controllingsaid valve piston, a supporting bracket, a member pivotally mounted onsaid bracket for oscillating movement, said member being connected tosaid valve piston to be actuated thereby, an auxiliary valve actuatinglever mounted on said member eccentrically of its pivot, operatingconnections for said main piston rod and lever, and tappet blocks onsaid auxiliary valve stem coacting with said lever, said bracket beingprovided with cylinder, a main cylinder valve piston, an

auxiliary valve for controlling said valve piston, a supporting bracket,a member pivotally mounted on said bracket for oscillating movement,said member being connected to said valve piston to be actuated thereby,an auxiliary valve actuating lever mounted on said member eccentricallyof its pivot, operating connections for said main piston rod and lever,and tappet blocks on said auxiliary valve stem coacting With said lever.V

7. In a valve gear, the combination of a main cylinder, a main piston, avalve piston cylinder and valve casin connected to said main cylinderand provided With an inlet and an exhaust, a valve piston, a main valvecontrolling the inlet and exhaust of said main cylinder actuated by saidvalve piston, an auxiliary valve casing connected to said valve pistoncylinder and provided With an inlet and an exhaust, an auxiliary valvecontrolling the inlet and exhaust of said valve cylinder, a pivotallysupported oscillating member connected to said auxiliary piston, anauxiliary valve actuating lever pivotally mounted on said oscillatingmember eccentrically of its pivot, and operating connections for saidmain piston and lever whereby the auxiliary valve is given an initialmovement by the main piston and a further movement by the valve piston.

8. In a valve gear, the combination of a main cylinder, a main piston, amain cylinder valve, a valve piston cylinder, a valve piston forcontrolling said main cylinder valve, an auxiliary valve for controllingsaid valve piston, a pivotally mounted oscillating member, an auxiliaryvalve actuating lever pivotally mounted on said oscillating membereccentrically of its pivot, operating connections for said main pistonand lever, and operating connections for said valve piston andoscillating member whereby the aux iliary valve isgiven an initialmovement by said lever and a further movement by said oscillatingmember.

9. In a valve gear, the combination oi a main cylinder, a main piston, amain cylinder valve piston, an auxiliary valve for controlling saidvalve piston, a member actuated by said valve piston, an auxiliar valveactuating member mounted on said member actuated by said valve pistonand having operating connections With said main piston whereby theauxiliary valve is given an initial movement by the main piston and afur ther movement by the valve piston.

10. In a valve gear, the combination of a main cylinder, a main piston,a main cylinder valve piston, an auxiliary valve for controlling saidvalve piston, operating connections for said main piston and auxiliaryvalve, and operating connections for said valve piston and auxiliaryvalve, said auxiliary valve being given an initial actuation by themovement of said main piston and a further actuation by the movement ofsaid valve piston.

11. In a valve gear, the combination of a main cylinder, a main piston,a main cylinder valve piston, an auxiliary valve for controlling saidvalve piston, and means for actuating said auxiliary valve includingsaid main and valve pistons arranged so that the movement of the mainpiston imparts an initial movement to the auxiliary valve and themovement of the valve piston imparts further movement to said auxiliaryvalve.

lln Witness whereof, I have hereunto set my hand and seal in thepresence of two Witnesses.

JOHN G. BIRD. [n s] Witnesses:

E. M. SMITH, N. E. ltnnvns.

Copies of this patent may be obtained. for five cents each, byaddressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. G.

